Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to counter gravity casting of metallic alloys, and more particularly to counter gravity casting of bulk amorphous metal alloys and feedstock for bulk amorphous alloys.
Background Information
Counter gravity casting methods are known in the art for making investment castings using ceramic shell molds, such as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,863,706, 3,900,064, 4,589,466, and 4,791,977. Such ceramic molds are formed by a process known as the lost wax process. The ceramic shell mold is disposed in a vacuum container, and a fill tube, which communicates with a riser passage that extends from the bottom of the ceramic shell mold, extends out of the container for immersion in a pool of molten metal. Application of a relative vacuum causes the fill tube to draw molten metal upwardly into the riser and mold cavities of the ceramic shell mold
Methods are also known in the art for preparing and casting bulk amorphous alloys (also called bulk metallic glasses or BMG) of various compositions, such as, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,797,443, 5,711,363, 7,293,599, and 6,021,840.
The present inventors have observed a need for improved approaches for casting bulk amorphous alloys (or feedstock for such alloys) directly from the melt that permit the casting of large numbers of cast articles in a cost effective and efficient manner. Exemplary approaches and systems described herein may address such needs.